Machine for finishing gears



;No Model.) y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. KUNZ. MACHINE IE'OR FINISHING GEARS.

No. 520,995.. Patented Julie 5,1894.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. L. KUNZ. MACHINE FOR FINISHING GEARS.

Patented June. 5, 1894.

l l/i In E55 55, (SW gm U IT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. KUNZ, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING GEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lPatont No. 520,995, dated June 5,189%.

Application filed August 21, 1893. Serial No. 483,595. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. KUNZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for FinishingGears; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which forma part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved method of cutting the teeth on gearwheels, and also to an improved machine for use in carrying out myimproved method.

The object of my invention is to provide suitable means whereby all theteeth upon a gear wheel may be cut simultaneously.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved gearcutting machine. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view of the same taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4: is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4 4. of Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a somewhat difierentform of construction of die holding device. Fig. 6 is a sectional viewof the valve for governing the operation of the machine. 1

Referring by letter tosaid drawings, A designates a suitable base, whichis conveniently made in the form of a suitable cylinder for thereception of water. A piston B is fitted within the cylinder A and isarranged to reciprocate vertically therein, said piston carrying at itsupper end a suitable table B. Adjacent to the sides of the table B arearranged any desired number of guides O O, which are arranged to engagein any desired manner with the said table, so as to guide it in itsvertical movement up or down.

' A socket D is formed centrally in the table B for the reception of anarbor or spindle d, in the manner shown more particularly in Fig. 3.This arbor or spindle is arranged to support the rough casting of a gearwheel, while the operation of finishing the teeth thereon is beingperformed.

In the particular form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4of the drawings, the

device for shaping the outsideof the gear, carried at the upper end ofthe frame, comprises a suitable casting'F whichis approximately of thesame shape as the die proper F, and to which said die is secured, in anydesired manner, as by means of screws or bolts f f. i

In the operation of cutting or finishing the teeth of gear wheels bymyimproved method, the rough casting G of the gear wheel is arrangedupon the arboror spindle d, in the manner illustrated in the drawings,being preferably arranged upon the upper side of a supporting block G,which is preferably of the same external contour as the finished gear,and is arranged upon the table B in such position as to register withthe die F in. the head block, so that by a vertical upward movement ofthe piston and the table, the said supporting block G will pass intomesh with the die F. In adjusting the casting G of the gear in positionupon the supporting block G, the said casting is arranged with its teethin register with the teeth of said supporting block, and it follows thatby the described upward movement of the table, the

casting being thereby shaped so as to conform to the teeth in the die.

Water isintroduced into the cylinder in base A, through a suitable pipeH which leads to a force pump and is controlled by a valve H by means ofwhich the supply ofwate'r may be shut off, when themov'ement of thepiston has progressed to the desired point, so

as tocarry the gear entirely through the die.

A second pipe I communicates with the interior of the cylinder, and isarranged to carry when the table B has reached a predetermined level,when the piston, the table carried thereby and the work upon the tablewill be permitted to descend by gravity.

In order to eifect the stoppage of the piston and the parts carriedthereby automatically, I find it convenient to employ an upwardlyextending rod J, which is operatively connected with the lever h uponthe stem of the valve H, upon which rod is arranged an adjustable collarj adapted for engagement with a shoulder J upon the table 13', wherebythe rod J maybe operated to adjust the valve H to cut oif the supply ofwater at the instant when the vertical movement of the piston hascarried the gear entirely through the die. As a matter of convenience Iprefer to construct the valve H in the form of a three-way valve, thearrangement being such that when the lever h is actuated to cut off thesupply of water, the water from the pump will be permitted to dischargethrough a relief pipe h, and the operation of the machine therebyautomatically stopped without the necessity of stopping the motion ofthe pump. By the adjustable arrangement of the collar j upon the rod J,said collar maybe placed at a point upon said rod necessary to stop themovement of the machine at any desired level.

As a further and separate improvement, I prefer to arrange a suitablelever t' 011 the stem of the valve 1 and to connect the lower end ofarod K with said lever and to provide, upon said rod a collar is,adapted for engagement with a shoulder or stop L, upon the table B atthe instant when the table has reached the limit of its upward movement,so as to instantly open the valve 1 for the escape of the water from thecylinder. This collar is conveniently made adjustable in the same manneras the collarj. If desired, also, a second collark may be arranged uponthe rod K, in such a manner as to be engaged by a shoulder or stop Lupon the table so as to automatically close the valve 1 when the limitof the downward movement of the table is reached, so as to prevent theescape of water from the cylinder.

In the particular form of construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings, the die F is shown as of the same diameter upon itsoutside as the supporting block F, to which it is secured, and simplyfastened to the lower face of said supporting block by screws or bolts ff, the block F being also held in engagement with the head blockE bymeans of the same bolts or screws. In some cases, however, it may bepreferable to form the supporting block for the die in the form shown inFig. 5 in which a casting M is provided upon its upper side with acentral stud m, adapted to pass through a central aperture e in the headblock E, and screw-threaded at its upper end as at m for engagement witha retaining nut. The lower side of this casting M is recessed as at Mand provided with internal teeth in like manner to the block F, and iscounterbored as at m for the reception of the die N. By thisconstruction, the die and its support may be readily placed in positionin the head block by inserting the stud m in the aperture e, andsecuring the same by a suitable nut. The recess M is of sufficient depthto permit the gear to pass bodily through the die N as the cuttingoperation is performed. By the insertion of the die into the annularopening in the lower side of the supporting block M, a very firm supportis afforded for the die against lateral strain, and said die maytherefore be made much lighter than would be practicable if it wereunsupported against such lateral strain.

In the usual methods of cutting gear teeth, the teeth are finishedseparately, and the operation is necessarily rendered slow and todious,by reason of the necessity of the frequent adjustment of the gear duringthe pro cess of cutting the teeth, while by my improvement I am enabledto out or finish all of the teeth upon a gear wheel simultaneously, at agiven stroke or movement of the piston. I am therefore enabled toprovide a machine for this class of work having a much greater capacityfor work than any of the ordinary types of gear cutting machines.

My improved machine is of much simpler construction, and is much cheaperto manufacture, than any of the usual forms of gear cutting machines.

By the employment of hydraulic power for actuating the machine, all thepressure necessary to cut all of the teeth simultaneously in any desiredsize of gear wheel may be obtained.

It will be observed that with the particular arrangement of partsillustrated in the drawin gs and herein described, the induction valvewill remain closed after the piston has been returned to its initialposition, so that in order to again startthe machine it becomesnecessary for the operator to elevate the rod J so as to open theinduction valve for the admis sion of water to the cylinder. If desired,any suitable device might be employed for enabling the operator toadjust the rod, al though said adjustment may be readily effected by theoperator directly grasping the rod and moving the same longitudinally,and it is not deemed necessary to illustrate such operating device inthe drawings, as the same forms no essential part of my presentinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A machine for cutting or finishing the teeth upon gear wheels comprisinga suitable base,

a plunger movably engaged therewith, and

carrying a supporting table for the rough casting or blank of a gear, ahead block opposed to said plunger, a die shaped upon its inside toconform to the outside of the finished gear, and supported in said headblock finish all of the teeth, substantially as de- 10 scribed.

p In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN L. KUNZ.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. WILES, E. W. STOUT.

